Supreme Court Decision on Healthcare Reform
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The US Supreme Court has upheld President Obama's Affordable Care Act, a short-term victory with long-term consequences for healthcare, the powers of Congress and the presidential campaign. On Reporter's Notebook, in another decision, the Court ruled that it’s okay to claim you've received medals for military service — even if that's not true.
Banner image: People start to gather in front of the US Supreme Court on June 28, 2012 in Washington, DC, awaiting its rule on the constitutionality of the sweeping healthcare law championed by President Barack Obama. Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images
Making News
Supreme Court Decision on Healthcare Reform ()
Chief Justice John Roberts joined the Supreme Court's four liberals against four conservatives today, upholding the Affordable Care Act that Republicans call "Obamacare." The President was very pleased. Noam Levy is national healthcare reporter for the Tribune Company, including the Los Angeles Times.
Guests:
- Noam Levey: Los Angeles Times, @NoamLevey
Main Topic
Healthcare: The Law and the Politics ()
The US Supreme Court has found the Affordable Care Act constitutional, a major victory for President Obama. The decision was written by Chief Justice John Roberts, who sided with four liberal colleagues against conservatives, splitting the court five to four. The "mandate" requiring all Americans to buy health insurance was upheld — but the majority called it a "tax" — and that gave Mitt Romney an opening. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor said today he'll introduce a bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act when Congress returns to Washington. We hear about today's opinion, and what it could mean for the availability of healthcare, the presidential campaign and the powers of Congress.
Guests:
- Dahlia Lithwick: Slate.com, @Dahlialithwick
- Randy Barnett: Georgetown Law School
- Geoffrey Stone: University of Chicago
- Theda Skocpol: Harvard University
- Rich Galen: Republican strategist, @richgalen
Links:
- Lithwick's reaction to the historic Supreme Court ruling
- Stone's 'Speaking Out! Reflections on Law, Liberty and Justice'
- Skocpol's 'Health Care Reform and American Politics'
- Pew Research Center on the public's reaction to the Affordable Care Act
- Kaiser Poll on views of the personal impact of the ACA, Supreme Court decision
Reporter's Notebook
Supreme Court Voids 'Stolen Honor' Law ()
The First Amendment "protects the speech we detest as well as the speech we embrace." That's the reasoning in another decision handed down today. When Xavier Alvarez was a member of the Three Valleys Municipal Water in eastern Los Angeles County, he claimed he was a former Marine and recipient of the Medal of Honor. In fact he had never served in the military. He was charged and pled guilty to violating a federal law called the Stolen Valor Act. But his lawyers appealed. Jonathan Turley is the Shapiro Professor of Public Interest Law at George Washington University.
Guests:
- Jonathan Turley: George Washington University, @jonathanturley
Links:
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